Document Design

A document design means “physical appearance of a document. Written text and its presentation work together to provide readers with information. Words and visuals are used to support each other,” Reep, Diana (2006). A good document holds readers’ attention and helps readers to read efficiently besides emphasizing its important points, (Putnis, Peter and Petelin, Roslyn (1996)).

I would like to show examples through slides presented by my group. According to Anderson (1987) in Putnis, Peter and Petelin, Roslyn (1996), Slide 4 and Slide 6 should “balance out the visuals and text within the page.” Reep, Diana (2006) defines it as “page balance.”


(Slide 4)

The slides 4 and 6 is an example of informal balance where it “represents by a heavily weighted scale on the left (one side) and is balanced by two or other smaller scales which equals to the total weight of the larger scale on the other side.” Reep, Diana (2006).

(Slide 6)

Solution: To make it informal balance, there should be more spacing between the two points.


(Slide 5)

Slide 5, is not balanced, this would create too much white space, “areas on a page that have no text or graphics,” Reep, Diana (2006). Solution: Insert more visual elements that could further support the statement made.


(Slide 9)

(Slide 11)

The heading on Slide 9 is too short therefore it looks lost in the space available. The heading on Slide 11 does not meet the “‘sufficient amount’ of white space around headings that separate them from the rest of the text,” Reep, Diana (2006). Solution: The font size of the headings should be changed. Putnis, Peter and Petelin, Roslyn (1996) also suggests “long rambling sentences should be shorter.”


Finally, Jakob Nielsen (1997) suggests that it is important for us to include citations in the bibliography slide. Readers would want to know that the information given is attributed to reliable sources.

References:

Kress, G & van Leeuwen, T. 2006. Reading images. Chapter 1: The semiotic landscape: language and visual communication.

Reep, D, Document design, Purpose of design feature (page 134-136) and format element (153-157).

Putnis, Peter and Petelin, Roslyn , Writing to Communicate, document design (page 254-256).

Nielsen, J, 1997, How Users Read on the Web, 17th September 2009, http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9710a.html